Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

And why are you listening to your AVP on HR matters? You AVP is a clown and you need to simply contact HR about your issue so they can talk to your AVP and set them straight about company policies.

@c7 Good luck to you!!

"FMLA cases should have been documented and used."

Great. Why weren't they? Too much work for "management"?

Well then the company goes to on record as to what is the appropriate amount of sick time, and they do not want to do that.

One stop says 9 days. There’s link for supervisors to report abuse but if you’re supplying documentation that you’re going to a Dr, what can they do?

"We all know there have beenamy cases where WFH was abused and FMLA cases should have been documented and used."

Yes, it happens at every company. Every company has employees that try to take advantage of opportunities. However, good leaders don't over react and punish all employees. Good leaders reward good employees and limit the actions of bad employees.

But we all know that RTO and FTW was not about reducing "fraud" . . . it was about reducing head count without paying severance, pure and simple.

We all know there have beenamy cases where WFH was abused and FMLA cases should have been documented and used. This is an example where current RTO policies are helping reduce fraud.

Overuse of sick time should be a factor considered when employee rankings are done.

Huh? They explicitly state in the One Stop documentation we get 9 days. How is using all sick any different than using all holidays which are also in the One Stop documentation?

*they'd be happy

Sorry bout that.

Truth of the matter is, they's be happy if people with medical needs like radiation, infusions, allergy shots, etc. get frustrated and quit. T self-insures, so the less people use the benefits, the more they make. They won't fire you, bc that would be illegal and/or get them sued, but they sure will make it inconvenient.

What they don't realize is a lot of younger people take Rx more than older folks did at that age. The number of 'behavioral-type' meds is shocking when I hear what all they take before they're even out of college.

Many of you are just uncaring scmbg$ lacking any sense of empathy or compassion.

Get a life.

@d6+1jvr1yq9h

that's a lawsuit waiting to happen

"Overuse of sick time should be a factor considered when employee rankings are done."

Well then the company goes to on record as to what is the appropriate amount of sick time, and they do not want to do that.

Overuse of sick time should be a factor considered when employee rankings are done.

First off, your AVP su-ks. Any chance there is a Doctor closer to your work location so you can use lunch. time? I work 7 AM to 6PM as I have to stop starts through out the day for school drop off and pick up. Our SVP Melissa mentioned they are understanding about life scenarios but sounds like your AVP has another agenda. Everyone else around me in other organizations are able to flex their time through out the days as well. We are still putting in more than 8 hours in the office so we never heard anything about being absent. I would really try to speak directly to your AVP to understand why they are not accommodating.

states it can be used for doctors and dentist apts

"Is supposed to be used" would be more accurate. We have been told to use it for all medical appointments.

Everyone needs to be VERY cautious about taking any “sick time” for doctor’s appointments especially if you have several Dr appointments (that is not FMLA pre-approved).

If you have multiple “sick time” events you can be fired for attendance. Given the current climate that we are in, you need to proceed with caution and get everything you can (FMLA pre approved) before coding Dr visits as sick time especially if you have several Dr appointments!

I second looking into FMLA. It was fairly painless as I have dealt with them for pregnancy FLMA. Your doctor will have to sign and complete paperwork.

Thanks for letting me know about using sick time for doctor visits. Nobody in my organization has highlighted that and I really didn’t know.

Have you considered shifting to part-time status? This might be a better longterm solution for everyone involved.

"OP- You should not use “sick time” for the purposes of your situation.
Instead, work on getting this approved through FMLA."

FMLA is a version of sick time, just not sort term, and it's Federally protected. The entire approval process, medical review, and absence coding all works via Sedgewick. Managers don't approve it, nor do they have access to any medical info beyond "FMLA approved or denied".

I've had several employees over the years who had intermittent cases and it was no big deal on my end. A good manager can and should work with the employee to make it work as best it can for both parties. Some even earned Exceeds ratings. I've never needed it myself, so I can't illuminate the patient process with Sedgewick.

To all the trolls posting "deal with it" in various forms, I hope you or your family never have to deal with any of the conditions these programs, such as FMLA and caregiver time, are designed to help.

FMLA is a protected absence!
OP- You should not use “sick time” for the purposes of your situation.
Instead, work on getting this approved through FMLA.

Yes! Use FMLA

File for FMLA.

Part of FMLA is called "intermittent" FMLA. It is designed to protect situations exactly like the OP and radiation treatment poster above.

Upon approval, your absence time will be protected and you'd use sick time to cover it.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/faq

Also yes, for exempt employees you can’t dictate hours or anything. I think is actually a FLSA violation and I would love to see a lawsuit.

No matter what your AVP or anyone tells you never use sick time for medical appts.

Actually per policy sick time is to be used to cover dr appointments for yourself. You can take it in 2 hour increments. Info picks up in reporting so those 2 sick hours plus the 6 badged give you your 8 hour day.

Technically as an exempt manager you are supposed to be able to Flex Time. That is what the intent of exempt is.

For you hourly folks, that means some days I may work 8, next I might have to work 18. I should have at least 40 on average or more. I don’t get paid OT.

IMHO ATT is and has been violating FLSA laws around exemptions and treatment of exempt employees, including misclassification of workers as exempt. A class action lawsuit needs to be filed.

I spoke with my friend in HR about this very issue this week. I have radiation therapy 5x a week for the next 8 weeks, and I have to go when the hospital can take me. The hospital is within walking distance to my house and an hour from work location. He told me that I should use the ATT sick days to cover my time away from the office. ATT will be getting short days out of me until the radiation treatment is over because of their d-mb 5x8 policy. I will not be connecting from home.

"You have two appointments every single week and expect T to support this productivity loss with no end in sight? "

AHHH -- The irony of your ignorant statement. ATT has created the productivity loss through 5x8 demands, but you are either too stupid or too much of a STANK A$$ Li---r to realize asanine your comment is. What is really sad is that you are the type of employee that STANK wants to keep.

Sick/ illness time. Show you manager the policy. It states it can be used for doctors and dentist apts. That’s what people have been doing.

On the bright side - Dallas and Atlanta both have lots of corporate HQs so there should job opportunities.

On the dark side, all the big corporations are doing some form of employee squeeze. And T squeezes harder than most.

You have two appointments every single week and expect T to support this productivity loss with no end in sight? How long has this been going on?

So OP chose to move and failed to ask questions about how this move would affect their known personal health issues?

To help you adjust to your new situation: Every morning, just look in the mirror while saying to yourself: “I Love my Texas!”

The liberal entitlement is just oozing out of your post. IF you only knew how good you have it compared to others in this country. I mean, talk about "First World Karen Problems", having to use paid sick time to be away from your job, is not a big issue. I'm sure many of the deplorables you look down on would give anything to have a job with sick time to begin with.

I have a condition that requires time on a golf course. Can I get an accommodation?

Why are you not still getting the "first thing in the morning" appointment so you can then go to work and just work maybe a little bit later?

I mean, I get it; it su-ks, though. I came in later than usual one day, and then someone was leaving so there was a longer than usual meeting/lunch, so I ended up working a couple hours after most people had left. Made me empathize with people who work mid/second shifts, but I sure did get a lot done after they all left.

“ This is the correct option if regularly unable to meet 5x8 requirements.”

Who is this f-cktard who keeps posting this garbage? Please spend 5x8 in a North Korean gulag. Better yet stay there permanently.

“I resonate with this post. I’ve been finding my self using PTO to cover doctors appointments too.”

This is the correct option if regularly unable to meet 5x8 requirements.

Like the other posters, we've been told sick time is to be used for doctor appointments.